Platform architecture to improve system productivity

ABSTRACT

A loading station for a substrate processing system includes first and second vertically-stacked loading stations. The first loading station includes a first airlock volume and first and second valves arranged at respective ends of the first loading station. The first and second valves are configured to selectively provide access to the first airlock volume and include first and second actuators, respectively, configured to open and close the first and second valves, and the first and second actuators extend downward from the first loading station. The second loading station includes a second airlock volume and third and fourth valves arranged at respective ends of the second loading station. The third and fourth valves are configured to selectively provide access to the second airlock volume and include third and fourth actuators, respectively, configured to open and close the third and fourth valves.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No.62/373,035, filed on Aug. 10, 2016, U.S. Provisional Application No.62/378,789, filed on Aug. 24, 2016, U.S. Provisional Application No.62/378,799, filed on Aug. 24, 2016, and U.S. Provisional Application No.62/403,343, filed on Oct. 3, 2016. The entire disclosures of theapplications referenced above are incorporated herein by reference.

FIELD

The present disclosure relates to substrate processing systems, and moreparticularly to configurations of substrate processing tools in asubstrate processing system.

BACKGROUND

The background description provided here is for the purpose of generallypresenting the context of the disclosure. Work of the presently namedinventors, to the extent it is described in this background section, aswell as aspects of the description that may not otherwise qualify asprior art at the time of filing, are neither expressly nor impliedlyadmitted as prior art against the present disclosure.

A substrate processing system may be used to perform deposition, etchingand/or other treatment of substrates such as semiconductor wafers.During processing, a substrate is arranged on a substrate support in aprocessing chamber of the substrate processing system. During etching ordeposition, gas mixtures including one or more etch gases or gasprecursors, respectively, are introduced into the processing chamber andplasma may be struck to activate chemical reactions.

The substrate processing system may include a plurality of substrateprocessing tools arranged within a fabrication room. Each of thesubstrate processing tools may include a plurality of process modules.Typically, a substrate processing tool includes up to 6 process modules.

Referring now to FIG. 1, a top-down view of an example substrateprocessing tool 100 is shown. The substrate processing tool 100 includesa plurality of process modules 104. For example only, each of theprocess modules 104 may be configured to perform one or more respectiveprocesses on a substrate. Substrates to be processed are loaded into thesubstrate process tool 100 via ports of a loading station of anequipment front end module (EFEM) 108 and then transferred into one ormore of the process modules 104. For example, a substrate may be loadedinto each of the process modules 104 in succession. Referring now toFIG. 2, an example arrangement 200 of a fabrication room 204 includingplurality of substrate processing tools 208 is shown.

SUMMARY

A loading station for a substrate processing system has avertically-stacked configuration and includes a first loading stationand a second loading station arranged above and adjacent to the firstloading station. The first loading station includes a first airlockvolume and a first valve and a second valve arranged at respective endsof the first loading station. The first valve and the second valve areconfigured to selectively provide access to the first airlock volume,the first valve and the second valve include a first actuator and asecond actuator, respectively, configured to open and close the firstvalve and the second valve, and the first actuator and the secondactuator extend downward from the first loading station. The secondloading station includes a second airlock volume and a third valve and afourth valve arranged at respective ends of the second loading station.The third valve and the fourth valve are configured to selectivelyprovide access to the second airlock volume and the third valve and thefourth valve include a third actuator and a fourth actuator,respectively, configured to open and close the third valve and thefourth valve.

Further areas of applicability of the present disclosure will becomeapparent from the detailed description, the claims and the drawings. Thedetailed description and specific examples are intended for purposes ofillustration only and are not intended to limit the scope of thedisclosure.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The present disclosure will become more fully understood from thedetailed description and the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is an example substrate processing tool;

FIG. 2 illustrates an example arrangement of substrate processing toolswithin a fabrication room;

FIG. 3 is a first example configuration of substrate processing tools;

FIG. 4 is a second example configuration of substrate processing tools;

FIG. 5 is a third example configuration of a substrate processing tool;

FIG. 6 is a fourth example configuration of substrate processing tools;

FIG. 7 is a fifth example configuration of substrate processing tools;

FIG. 8 is a sixth example configuration of substrate processing tools;

FIG. 9 is a seventh example configuration of a substrate processingtool;

FIG. 10 is an eighth example configuration of a substrate processingtool;

FIG. 11 is a ninth example configuration of a substrate processing tool;

FIG. 12 is an example loading station in a first vertically stackedconfiguration;

FIG. 13 is an example transfer valve for a loading station;

FIG. 14 is an example loading station in a second vertically stackedconfiguration;

FIG. 15 is an example loading station in a third vertically stackedconfiguration;

FIG. 16 is an example loading station in a fourth vertically stackedconfiguration;

FIG. 17 is an example loading station in a fifth vertically stackedconfiguration;

FIG. 18 is an example loading station in a sixth vertically stackedconfiguration;

FIG. 19 is an example loading station in a seventh vertically stackedconfiguration;

FIG. 20 is an example loading station in an eighth vertically stackedconfiguration;

FIG. 21 is an example arrangement of stacked process modules;

FIG. 22 is another example arrangement of stacked process modules; and

FIG. 23 is an example of a substrate processing tool including a vacuumtransfer robot.

In the drawings, reference numbers may be reused to identify similarand/or identical elements.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The quantity, position, etc. of substrate processing tools within afabrication room may be constrained by the dimensions and respectiveconfigurations of the substrate processing tools. Accordingly, theconfigurations of the substrate processing tools define a toolfootprint, spacing, and/or pitch, which further define a tool density ofthe fabrication room. Tool density may refer to a number of substrateprocessing tools and/or process modules per unit area of a fabricationroom. Systems and methods according to the principles of the presentdisclosure provide various substrate processing tool configurations tomaximize substrate processing tool density.

FIG. 3 shows a first example configuration 300 including a firstsubstrate processing tool 304 and a second substrate processing tool 308according to the principles of the present disclosure. The firstsubstrate processing tool 304 and the second substrate processing tool308 are arranged sequentially and are connected by a transfer stage 312,which is under vacuum. As shown, the transfer stage 312 includes apivoting transfer mechanism configured to transfer substrates between avacuum transfer module (VTM) 316 of the first substrate processing tool304 and a VTM 320 of the second substrate processing tool 308. However,in other examples, the transfer stage 312 may include other suitabletransfer mechanisms, such as a linear transfer mechanism. For exampleonly, a first robot (not shown) of the VTM 316 may place a substrate ona support 324 arranged in a first position, the support 324 is pivotedto a second position, and a second robot (not shown) of the VTM 320retrieves the substrate from the support 324 in the second position. Insome examples, the second substrate processing tool 308 may include astorage buffer 328 configured to store one or more substrates betweenprocessing stages.

The transfer mechanism may also be stacked to provide two or moretransfer systems between the substrate processing tools 308 and 304.Transfer stage 324 may also have multiple slots to transport or buffermultiple substrates at one time.

In the configuration 300, the first substrate processing tool 304 andthe second substrate processing tool 308 are configured to share asingle equipment front end module (EFEM) 332.

FIG. 4 shows a second example configuration 400 including a firstsubstrate processing tool 404 and a second substrate processing tool 408arranged sequentially and connected by a transfer stage 412. Theconfiguration 400 is similar to the configuration 300 of FIG. 3 exceptthat in the configuration 400, the EFEM is eliminated. Accordingly,substrates may be loaded into the first substrate processing tool 408directly via airlock loading stations 416 (e.g., using a storage ortransport carrier such as a vacuum wafer carrier, front opening unifiedpod (FOUP), etc., or other suitable mechanisms).

FIG. 5 shows a third example configuration 500 including a substrateprocessing tool 504. The configuration 500 eliminates the EFEM and usesonly a single loading station 508, allowing for a greater number (e.g.,7) of process modules 512. At the loading station 508, substrates may beloaded into the first substrate processing tool 408 directly via airlockloading station 416 (e.g., using a storage or transport pod such as aVacuum Wafer Carrier, front opening unified pod (FOUP), etc., or othersuitable mechanisms).

FIG. 6 shows a fourth example configuration 600 including a firstsubstrate processing tool 604 and a second substrate processing tool 608sharing a single EFEM 612. More specifically, the first substrateprocessing tool 604 and the second substrate processing tool 608 areconnected to respective ends of the EFEM 612 via respective loadingstations 616 and 620. The loading stations 616 and 620 may each have astacked configuration.

FIG. 7 shows a fifth example configuration 700 including a firstsubstrate processing tool 704 and a second substrate processing tool 708sharing a single EFEM 712. The first substrate processing tool 704 andthe second substrate processing tool 708 are connected to respectiveends of the EFEM 712 via respective loading stations 716 and 720. Theloading stations 716 and 720 may each have a stacked configuration.

FIG. 8 shows a sixth example configuration 800 including one or morerows of sequentially arranged substrate processing tools 804, 808, etc.In the configuration 800, each row may include 3 or more substrateprocessing tools connected via respective transfer stages 812. Thetransfer stages 812 may include pivoting transfer mechanisms, lineartransfer mechanisms, etc. A first EFEM 816 is provided at a first end ofthe row of substrate processing tools 804, 808 and a second EFEM 820 isprovided at a second end of the row of substrate processing tools 804,808. For example, substrates may be loaded at the first EFEM 816,processed and transferred sequentially through the various processmodules of the substrate processing tools 804, 808, and thenunloaded/retrieved from the second EFEM 820. In some examples, transfermechanisms within the transfer stages 812 may be vertically stacked toprovide two or more transfer systems between adjacent substrateprocessing tools. The transfer stages 812 may also have multiple slotsto move or buffer multiple substrates at one time

FIG. 9 shows a seventh example configuration 900 including a substrateprocessing tool 904. In the configuration 900, the substrate processingtool 904 includes, for example, 8 process modules 908 and eliminatesboth the EFEM and any exterior loading stations. Instead, one or moretransport carriers (e.g., vacuum wafer carriers) 912 are provided in aninterior 916 of the substrate processing tool 904. For example, thecarriers 912 may be transported from above the substrate processing tool904 using an automated transport system, such as an automated materialhandling system (AMHS). A robot 920 retrieves substrates from thecarriers 912 and transfers the substrates to the process modules 908.

FIG. 10 shows an eighth example configuration 1000 including a substrateprocessing tool 1004 having a plurality of process modules 1008. Thesubstrate processing tool 1004 includes a linear VTM 1012 and robot 1016configured to transfer substrates between EFEM 1020 and the processmodules 1008. The VTM 1012 is configured to adjust a linear position ofthe robot 1016 relative to the process modules 1008 (i.e., adjust anend-to-end position of the robot 1016 relative to the VTM 1012).

FIG. 11 shows a ninth example configuration 1100 including a substrateprocessing tool 1104. The substrate processing tool 1104 includes acluster arrangement of process modules 1108, and an optional end processmodule 1112. The process modules 1108 share a single EFEM 1116.

In some examples, any of the processing tools described herein mayimplement loading stations having a stacked configuration. For example,loadings stations 508, 716, 720, etc. as shown in FIGS. 5 and 7 mayimplement a stacked configuration. In other words, in a stackedconfiguration, a loading station may include two or more verticallystacked loading stations. In some examples, the stacked configurationmay also include a process module or chamber (such as an integratedcritical strip (ICS) chamber) vertically stacked with one or moreloading stations.

Referring now to FIG. 12, an example loading station 1200 having avertically stacked configuration includes a first (e.g., lower) airlockloading station 1204, a second (e.g., upper) airlock loading station1208 arranged above the first airlock loading station 1204, and aprocess chamber (e.g., an ICS chamber) 1212 arranged above the secondairlock loading station 1208.

Wafers are transferred into and out of an airlock chamber volume 1216 ofthe first airlock loading station 1204 via valves 1220 and 1224. Forexample, wafers are transferred between the first airlock loadingstation 1204 and a transport carrier, vacuum wafer carrier, AHMS, etc.in a fabrication room via the valve 1220. Conversely, wafers aretransferred between the first airlock loading station 1204 and a VTM1228 (e.g. for transfer to a process module) via the valve 1224.Similarly, wafers are transferred into and out of an airlock chambervolume 1232 of the second airlock loading station 1208 via valves 1236and 1240. Wafers are transferred into and out of a process chambervolume 1244 of the process chamber 1212 via valve 1248. Each of thevalves 1220, 1224, 1236, 1240, and 1248 may include associated actuators1252 configured to selectively open and close respective ones of thevalves.

Referring now to FIG. 13 and with continued reference to FIG. 12, anexample valve 1300 is shown. The valve 1300 may correspond to anatmospheric transfer valve or a vacuum transfer valve. For example only,the valves 1220 and 1236 may correspond to atmospheric transfer valveswhile the valves 1224, 1240, and 1248 may correspond to vacuum transfervalves. In one example, the valve 1300 is a gate-style valve having agate 1304. Actuators 1308 and 1312 are configured to open and close thegate 1304 to selectively provide access to a chamber volume through aslot 1316 in the valve 1300.

As shown in FIG. 13, the actuators 1308 and 1312 extend downward (orupward) from the valve 1300. For example, in the configuration shown inFIG. 12, the actuators 1252 extend from the respective valves toward anadjacent one of the loading stations 1204 and 1208 or toward the processchamber 1212. Accordingly, one of the loading stations (in this example,the first airlock loading station 1204) is shortened relative to thesecond airlock loading station 1204 and the process chamber 1212. Inother words, a length of the first airlock loading station 1204) is lessthan a corresponding length of the second airlock loading station 1208and the process chamber 1212. In this manner, the actuators 1252 of thevalve 1240 of the second airlock loading station 1208 are able to extenddownward from the valve 1240 (e.g., to cross/overlap a horizontal planedefined by the first airlock loading station 1204) without beingobstructed by the valve 1224 of the first airlock loading station 1204.

Conversely, the valves 1236 and 1248 are arranged in a configurationopposite to the valves 1220, 1224, and 1240. In other words, the valves1236 and 1248 are arranged upside-down relative to the valves 1220,1224, and 1240. Accordingly, the actuators 1252 of the valves 1236 and1248 extend upward while the actuators of the valves 1220, 1224, and1240 extend downward.

Further, wafers are transferred through the slot 1316 into a respectiveone of the chambers 1216, 1232, 1244 (e.g., using a robot). In theconfiguration shown in FIG. 12, the actuators 1252 of the valve 1240extend downward toward the valve 1224 and may obstruct the robot and thetransfer of wafers into and out of the first airlock loading station1204. Accordingly, as shown in FIG. 13 the actuators 1308 and 1312 arespaced apart sufficiently to allow access to the slot 1316. For example,a distance between the actuators 1308 and 1312 may be at least a widthof the slot 1316. In this manner, wafers are able to be transferredbetween the actuators 1252 of the valve 1240 and into the first airlockloading station 1204 via the valve 1224.

Referring now to FIG. 14, another example configuration of the loadingstation 1200 is shown. In this example, the process chamber 1212 isshortened relative to the first airlock loading station 1204 and thesecond airlock loading station 1208 to accommodate the valve 1248.Accordingly, the first airlock loading station 1204 and the secondairlock loading station 1208 may have the same length.

Referring now to FIG. 15, another example configuration of the loadingstation 1200 is shown. In this example, the loading station 1200 has aconfiguration similar to the loading station 1200 shown in FIG. 12 andincludes an additional third airlock loading station 1320 arranged belowthe first airlock loading station 1204. The third airlock loadingstation 1320 includes an airlock chamber volume 1324, valves 1328 and1332, and respective actuators 1252.

A length of the third airlock loading station 1320 is further reducedrelative to the first airlock loading station 1204 to accommodate thevalves 1328 and 1332. The actuators 1252 of the valves 1220 and 1224 ofthe first airlock loading station 1204 extend downward toward the thirdairlock loading station 1320. Accordingly, the actuators 1252 are spacedapart as described above in FIG. 13 to allow access to the valves 1328and 1332.

Referring now to FIG. 16, another example configuration of the loadingstation 1200 is shown. In this example, the loading station 1200 has aconfiguration similar to the loading station 1200 shown in FIG. 14 andincludes the third airlock loading station 1320 arranged below the firstairlock loading station 1204. Accordingly, the first airlock loadingstation 1204 and the second airlock loading station 1208 may have thesame length while the length of the third airlock loading station 1320is reduced.

Referring now to FIG. 17, another example configuration of the loadingstation 1200 is shown. In this example, the second airlock loadingstation 1208 and the process chamber 1212 are configured in the mannershown in FIGS. 14 and 16. However, the first airlock loading station1204 is extended relative to the second airlock loading station 1204.Accordingly, the valve 1220 is positioned further outward relative tothe third airlock loading station 1320. In this manner, the length ofthe third airlock loading station as shown in FIG. 17 may be extendedrelative to the third airlock loading station 1320 as shown in FIGS. 15and 16.

Referring now to FIG. 18, another example configuration of the loadingstation 1200 is shown. In this example, the first airlock loadingstation 1204, the second airlock loading station 1208, and the processchamber 1212 are configured similar to the arrangement shown in FIG. 17.However, while the valve 1224 is arranged such that the actuators 1252extend downward toward the third airlock loading station 1320, the valve1220 is arranged such that the actuators 1252 extend upward toward thesecond airlock loading station 1208. According, the length of the thirdairlock loading station 1320 may be even further extended. For example,the second airlock loading station 1208 and the third airlock loadingstation 1320 may have the same length.

Referring now to FIG. 19, another example configuration of the loadingstation 1200 is shown. In this configuration, the loading station 1200includes the third airlock loading station 1320 but does not include theprocess chamber 1212. As shown, the third airlock loading station 1320is arranged above and adjacent to the second airlock loading station1208 and the actuators 1252 of the valves 1328 and 1332 extend upward.However, the third airlock loading station 1320 may be arranged belowand adjacent to the first airlock loading station 1204 as in otherexamples. The third airlock loading station 1320 and the first airlockloading station 1204 may have the same length, which is shortenedrelative to the length of the second airlock loading station 1208.

Referring now to FIG. 20, another example configuration of the loadingstation 1200 is shown. In this configuration, similar to the arrangementshown in FIG. 19, the loading station 1200 includes the third airlockloading station 1320 but does not include the process chamber 1212.However, the first airlock loading station 1204 is further shortenedrelative to the second airlock loading station 1208 and the thirdairlock loading station 1320. Accordingly, the valve 1236 is arrangedsuch that the actuators 1252 extend downward toward the first airlockloading station 1204, and the length of the third airlock loadingstation 1320 may be extended. The third airlock loading station 1320 andthe second airlock loading station 1208 may have the same length.

Referring now to FIG. 21, an example arrangement 1400 of stacked processmodules (including upper process modules 1404-1, 1404-2, and 1404-3 andlower process modules 1404-4, 1404-5, and 1404-6, referred tocollectively as process modules 1404) is shown. In this example, wafersare transferred between an EFEM 1408 and the lower process module 1404-4via a stacked loading station 1412. The wafers may subsequently betransferred between adjacent ones of the lower process modules 1404-4,1404-5, 1404-6, between the lower process modules 1404-4, 1404-5, and1404-6 and the upper process modules 1404-1, 1404-2, and 1404-3, betweenadjacent ones of the upper process modules 1404-1, 1404-2, and 1404-3,etc.

Referring now to FIG. 22, another example arrangement 1440 of thestacked process modules 1404 is shown. In this example, wafers aretransferred between the EFEM 1408 and the lower process module 1404-4via the stacked loading station 1412 and between the EFEM 1408 and theupper process module 1404-1 via a second stacked loading station 1444.The wafers transferred via the stacked loading station 1412 may betransferred between adjacent ones of the lower process modules 1404-4,1404-5, 1404-6. Conversely, the wafers transferred via the stackedloading station 1444 may be transferred between adjacent ones of theupper process modules 1404-1, 1404-2, and 1404-3, etc. In some examples,the wafers may also be transferred between the lower process modules1404-4, 1404-5, and 1404-6 and the upper process modules 1404-1, 1404-2,and 1404-3.

Referring now to FIG. 23, another example configuration of a substrateprocessing tool 1500 having a plurality of process modules 1504 isshown. The substrate processing tool 1500 includes a linear VTM 1508 anda single vacuum transfer robot 1512 configured to transfer substratesbetween EFEM 1516 and the process modules 1504. As shown, the substrateprocessing tool 1500 includes six of the process modules 1504. However,other configurations of the substrate processing tool 1500 may includemore than six of the process modules 1504. For example, a length of theVTM 1508 may be extended to accommodate additional process modules 1504.

In this configuration, the substrate processing tool 1500 the singlevacuum transfer robot 1512 is arranged off-center (i.e. shifted to theright or left toward the process modules 1504) relative to a centerlengthwise axis of the VTM 1508. In other words, a primary pivot point1520 of the robot 1512 is off-center. Although shown having only one arm1524 having a first arm portion 1528, a second arm portion 1532, and anend effector 1536, in other configurations the robot 1512 may includetwo or more arms.

The robot 1512 is configured to access a loading station 1540 and eachof the process modules 1504. For example, the first arm portion 1528,the second arm portion 1532, and the end effector 1536 have respectivelengths such that the arm 1524 is able to access the loading station1540 when extended as shown. Conversely, the robot 1512 is configured toarticulate and retract in various positions (e.g., as shown in phantomat 1544) to access each of the process modules 1504. For example, thelength of at least the first arm portion 1528 (and, in some examples,the respective lengths of the second arm portion 1532 and the endeffector 1536) does not exceed a lateral distance d between the pivotpoint 1520 and an inner wall 1548 of the VTM 1508 opposite the pivotpoint 1520. Accordingly, when the arm 1524 is in a fully retractedposition as shown at 1552, the arm 1525 is configured to actuate alongan arc 1556 within the VTM 1508 without contacting the inner wall 1548.

Although shown in FIG. 23 in an unstacked (i.e., single level)configuration, in some examples, one or more of the EFEM 1516, the VTM1508, the process modules 1504, and the loading station 1540 may have astacked configuration as described above. For example, each of theprocess modules 1504 may correspond to two process modules 1504 in avertically stacked configuration (i.e., one process module 1504 arrangedabove/below the other), the loading station 1540 may correspond to twoloading stations 1540 in the vertically stacked configuration, etc.Similarly, the VTM 1508 may correspond to two VTMs 1508 in thevertically stacked configuration. Alternatively, the robot 1512 may beconfigured to be raised and lowered to different levels within the VTM1508 to access multiple levels of the process modules 1504, the loadingstation 1540, etc.

The foregoing description is merely illustrative in nature and is in noway intended to limit the disclosure, its application, or uses. Thebroad teachings of the disclosure can be implemented in a variety offorms. Therefore, while this disclosure includes particular examples,the true scope of the disclosure should not be so limited since othermodifications will become apparent upon a study of the drawings, thespecification, and the following claims. It should be understood thatone or more steps within a method may be executed in different order (orconcurrently) without altering the principles of the present disclosure.Further, although each of the embodiments is described above as havingcertain features, any one or more of those features described withrespect to any embodiment of the disclosure can be implemented in and/orcombined with features of any of the other embodiments, even if thatcombination is not explicitly described. In other words, the describedembodiments are not mutually exclusive, and permutations of one or moreembodiments with one another remain within the scope of this disclosure.

Spatial and functional relationships between elements (for example,between modules, circuit elements, semiconductor layers, etc.) aredescribed using various terms, including “connected,” “engaged,”“coupled,” “adjacent,” “next to,” “on top of,” “above,” “below,” and“disposed.” Unless explicitly described as being “direct,” when arelationship between first and second elements is described in the abovedisclosure, that relationship can be a direct relationship where noother intervening elements are present between the first and secondelements, but can also be an indirect relationship where one or moreintervening elements are present (either spatially or functionally)between the first and second elements. As used herein, the phrase atleast one of A, B, and C should be construed to mean a logical (A OR BOR C), using a non-exclusive logical OR, and should not be construed tomean “at least one of A, at least one of B, and at least one of C.”

In some implementations, a controller is part of a system, which may bepart of the above-described examples. Such systems can comprisesemiconductor processing equipment, including a processing tool ortools, chamber or chambers, a platform or platforms for processing,and/or specific processing components (a wafer pedestal, a gas flowsystem, etc.). These systems may be integrated with electronics forcontrolling their operation before, during, and after processing of asemiconductor wafer or substrate. The electronics may be referred to asthe “controller,” which may control various components or subparts ofthe system or systems. The controller, depending on the processingrequirements and/or the type of system, may be programmed to control anyof the processes disclosed herein, including the delivery of processinggases, temperature settings (e.g., heating and/or cooling), pressuresettings, vacuum settings, power settings, radio frequency (RF)generator settings, RF matching circuit settings, frequency settings,flow rate settings, fluid delivery settings, positional and operationsettings, wafer transfers into and out of a tool and other transfertools and/or load locks connected to or interfaced with a specificsystem.

Broadly speaking, the controller may be defined as electronics havingvarious integrated circuits, logic, memory, and/or software that receiveinstructions, issue instructions, control operation, enable cleaningoperations, enable endpoint measurements, and the like. The integratedcircuits may include chips in the form of firmware that store programinstructions, digital signal processors (DSPs), chips defined asapplication specific integrated circuits (ASICs), and/or one or moremicroprocessors, or microcontrollers that execute program instructions(e.g., software). Program instructions may be instructions communicatedto the controller in the form of various individual settings (or programfiles), defining operational parameters for carrying out a particularprocess on or for a semiconductor wafer or to a system. The operationalparameters may, in some embodiments, be part of a recipe defined byprocess engineers to accomplish one or more processing steps during thefabrication of one or more layers, materials, metals, oxides, silicon,silicon dioxide, surfaces, circuits, and/or dies of a wafer.

The controller, in some implementations, may be a part of or coupled toa computer that is integrated with the system, coupled to the system,otherwise networked to the system, or a combination thereof. Forexample, the controller may be in the “cloud” or all or a part of a fabhost computer system, which can allow for remote access of the waferprocessing. The computer may enable remote access to the system tomonitor current progress of fabrication operations, examine a history ofpast fabrication operations, examine trends or performance metrics froma plurality of fabrication operations, to change parameters of currentprocessing, to set processing steps to follow a current processing, orto start a new process. In some examples, a remote computer (e.g. aserver) can provide process recipes to a system over a network, whichmay include a local network or the Internet. The remote computer mayinclude a user interface that enables entry or programming of parametersand/or settings, which are then communicated to the system from theremote computer. In some examples, the controller receives instructionsin the form of data, which specify parameters for each of the processingsteps to be performed during one or more operations. It should beunderstood that the parameters may be specific to the type of process tobe performed and the type of tool that the controller is configured tointerface with or control. Thus as described above, the controller maybe distributed, such as by comprising one or more discrete controllersthat are networked together and working towards a common purpose, suchas the processes and controls described herein. An example of adistributed controller for such purposes would be one or more integratedcircuits on a chamber in communication with one or more integratedcircuits located remotely (such as at the platform level or as part of aremote computer) that combine to control a process on the chamber.

Without limitation, example systems may include a plasma etch chamber ormodule, a deposition chamber or module, a spin-rinse chamber or module,a metal plating chamber or module, a clean chamber or module, a beveledge etch chamber or module, a physical vapor deposition (PVD) chamberor module, a chemical vapor deposition (CVD) chamber or module, anatomic layer deposition (ALD) chamber or module, an atomic layer etch(ALE) chamber or module, an ion implantation chamber or module, a trackchamber or module, and any other semiconductor processing systems thatmay be associated or used in the fabrication and/or manufacturing ofsemiconductor wafers.

As noted above, depending on the process step or steps to be performedby the tool, the controller might communicate with one or more of othertool circuits or modules, other tool components, cluster tools, othertool interfaces, adjacent tools, neighboring tools, tools locatedthroughout a factory, a main computer, another controller, or tools usedin material transport that bring containers of wafers to and from toollocations and/or load ports in a semiconductor manufacturing factory.

What is claimed is:
 1. A loading station for a substrate processingsystem, the loading station having a vertically-stacked configurationand comprising: a first loading station, the first loading stationcomprising a first airlock volume, and a first valve and a second valvearranged at respective ends of the first loading station, wherein thefirst valve and the second valve are configured to selectively provideaccess to the first airlock volume, wherein the first valve and thesecond valve include a first actuator and a second actuator,respectively, configured to open and close the first valve and thesecond valve, and wherein the first actuator and the second actuatorextend downward from the first loading station; and a second loadingstation arranged above and adjacent to the first loading station, thesecond loading station comprising a second airlock volume, and a thirdvalve and a fourth valve arranged at respective ends of the secondloading station, wherein the third valve and the fourth valve areconfigured to selectively provide access to the second airlock volume,wherein the third valve and the fourth valve include a third actuatorand a fourth actuator, respectively, configured to open and close thethird valve and the fourth valve.
 2. The loading station of claim 1,wherein the first valve, the second valve, the third valve, and thefourth valve correspond to gate valves having respective gates.
 3. Theloading station of claim 1, wherein a length of the first loadingstation is less than a length of the second loading station, and whereinthe fourth actuator extends downward from the second loading station tooverlap a horizontal plane defined by the first loading station.
 4. Theloading station of claim 3, wherein the third actuator extends upwardfrom the second loading station.
 5. The loading station of claim 3,wherein the third actuator extends downward from the second loadingstation and overlaps the horizontal plane defined by the first loadingstation.
 6. The loading station of claim 3, wherein the fourth actuatorincludes a pair of gate actuators, and wherein a distance between thepair of gate actuators is at least a width of a slot of the secondvalve.
 7. The loading station of claim 1, wherein each of the thirdactuator and the fourth actuator extend upward from the second loadingstation.
 8. The loading station of claim 1, further comprising a processchamber arranged above and adjacent to the second loading station. 9.The loading station of claim 8, wherein a length of the process chamberis less than a length of the second loading station.
 10. The loadingstation of claim 1, wherein a length of the first loading station isless than a length of the second loading station, and wherein the thirdactuator and the fourth actuator each extend downward from the secondloading station to overlap a horizontal plane defined by the firstloading station, the loading station further comprising: a third loadingstation arranged above and adjacent to the second loading station, thethird loading station comprising a third airlock volume, and a fifthvalve and a sixth valve arranged at respective ends of the third loadingstation, wherein the fifth valve and the sixth valve are configured toselectively provide access to the third airlock volume, wherein thefifth valve and the sixth valve include a fifth actuator and a sixthactuator, respectively, configured to open and close the fifth valve andthe sixth valve.
 11. The loading station of claim 10, wherein a lengthof the second loading station is less than a length of the third loadingstation, and wherein the sixth actuator extends downward from the thirdloading station to overlap a horizontal plane defined by the secondloading station.
 12. The loading station of claim 11, wherein the fifthactuator extends upward from the third loading station.
 13. The loadingstation of claim 10, wherein each of the fifth actuator and the sixthactuator extend upward from the third loading station.
 14. The loadingstation of claim 13, wherein a length of the third loading station isless than a length of the second loading station.
 15. The loadingstation of claim 10, further comprising a process chamber arranged aboveand adjacent to the third loading station.
 16. The loading station ofclaim 15, wherein a length of the process chamber is less than a lengthof the third loading station.
 17. A substrate processing tool,comprising: the loading station of claim 1; a first process moduleadjacent to the loading station, wherein the first process module isconfigured to receive wafers via the loading station; and a secondprocess module arranged above the first process module.
 18. Thesubstrate processing tool of claim 17, wherein the second process moduleis configured to receive wafers via the loading station and the firstprocess module.
 19. The substrate processing tool of claim 17, furthercomprising another one of the loading stations having avertically-stacked configuration, wherein the second process module isconfigured to receive wafers via the other one of the loading stations.